Owner, Surrey County Council, no longer wants responsibility for several areas of common land in the village. The council has declared the areas surplus to its countryside estate. The executive committee will decide what to do with the land at the next meeting in November. Selling it for the best price is one of the options. The common land involved has been left out of an arrangement the county has made for Surrey Wildlife Trust to manage most of the open countryside it owns, including Chobham Common. The largest areas on the list are Little Heath Green in Little Heath Road, Coxhill Green and Milford Green off Station Road and Castle Green in Castle Grove Road. Also included are smaller plots of highways verge and common in Windsor Road, Little Heath Road, Red Lion Lane, Steep Hill, Sandpit Hall Road, Philpot Lane, Pennypot Lane and Lovelands Lane. Burrow Hill Green between Windsor Road and Windlesham Road was originally counted as surplus, but Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) has asked to take back the management of that area. Searches being made for house buyers are throwing up the possibility of development on some of the surplus land. A new home owner was warned by her solicitor that houses could be built on Little Heath Green, opposite her property. But the county council officer managing the land, Les Prescott, dismissed the threat of building. He said: “It’s highly unlikely permission could ever be obtained for housing on registered common land. “It’s protected by legislation, which applies whether it is owned by a local authority or an individual.” The county executive will discuss a report on the surplus land on Friday November 22 and will be asked to say what should be done with it. Mr Prescott said: “It may be that the council will decide to sell on the open market.” County councillor Lavinia Sealy (Con, Chobham, Bisley, West End) said she would be interested to hear the views of the parish councillors and parishioners. Head of countryside and heritage Mike Dawson said: “When the management of the countryside was transferred to Surrey Wildlife Trust in May, some areas of land were not included because they were small plots of no countrywide importance and which had no ecological or environmental designations attached. “A report will go before the executive in November to decide the future of these areas of land (including some roadside strips of manorial land in Chobham). “In developing the report, consideration will be given to transferring the land to parish, borough or district councils following consultation and the views of SWT will be sought. “These views will be incorporated before the report goes before the executive.” However the news that the land could be sold has been met with shock in the village. Chairman of Chobham Commons Preservation committee Peter Higgs said: “Selling the so-called surplus land to individuals would be a huge threat to Chobham’s rural character. “Private ownership would inevitably mean the open aspect of our country roads and lanes will be lost through mowing, planting and the extension of hedges and fences. “The land is too precious to be split up among various owners and must remain owned and looked after by a local authority.”